Automated decoy with battery holder ballast

ABSTRACT

A decoy system with a ballast that holds batteries to power the various elements of the decoy system including a Global Positioning System or location based receiver and circuitry that automatically controls the navigation of the decoy based on real-time location and desired/selected pattern information. The system can include a decoy with a propulsion system and steering system and an interface to a smart phone running a remote control app. The remote control app can be used to control the navigation of the decoy in view of the location information received from the GPS.

BACKGROUND

Since the onset of hunting, hunters have sought ways to sneak up on orambush their prey. Whether hiding behind a tree, curled up in a blind ordressing to blend in with the environment, hunters continue to seek waysto lure in a prey. In the field of fowl hunting, the use of decoys andcalls have become common place in typical hunting excursions.

Waterfowl hunting is the practice of hunting ducks, geese or otherwaterfowl for sport, food, feathers, etc. Waterfowl can be hunted incrop fields where they feed, or, more frequently, on or near bodies ofwater such as rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, sloughs, or oceaniccoastlines. One proliferate hunting technique that has been usedthroughout the years is the employment of decoys.

The use of stagnant decoys to attract animals is well known in thevarious fields of hunting, but, in recent years the use of motion decoyshave grown in popularity. Motion decoys are decoys that include somelevel of motion activity that is designed to more effectively attractprey. This is true for many different species of animals, includingfowl. A common motion decoy design for fowl that has been used byhunters is to attach a line to a decoy and then to use the line to movethe decoy. The moving decoy may be more noticeable than a motionlessdecoy to birds flying by at a distance.

Other motion decoys use a line and an anchor. The line is attachedbetween the decoy and the anchor and the anchor is dropped into thewater. The decoy then moves around within the range of the line, inresponse to the wind and water currents.

Another relatively simple motion decoy is the flag decoy. These decoysare simple fowl-shaped flags that are affixed to the top of a pole. Thefowl-shaped flag is then waved, either by the user or by a breeze, toattract birds from a distance. However, as the birds approach thefowl-shaped flag, the flag and pole must be laid down since the motiondoes not provide the realism necessary to attract birds in closeproximity to the outdoorsman. Other motion decoys have been developedthat include spinning wings, moving heads, flapping wings, etc. Yetanother motion decoy includes a duck that utilizes a bilge pump thethrust water and cause the decoy to appear to swim. The decoy istypically tethered to a battery and thus, the tether line provides powerto control the bilge pump and it serves as a range limit on the motionand the battery operates as an anchor to help maintain a centrallocation for the decoy.

Many other designs and attempts have been deployed in the decoy fieldbut, there is still a need in the art for a decoy that is more realisticand more convenient for the hunter. The present disclosure presentsembodiments directed towards these needs in the art as well as providingother advantageous features.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure presents various embodiments, features andaspects of a decoy system that includes automatic navigational controlbased on real-time location information and selected patterninformation, as well as, a ballast that is used to house a power sourcewhile providing the ballasting function for the decoy.

One exemplary embodiment includes a process for controlling thenavigation of a decoy by accessing a positioning receiver that isconfigured to provide the real-time current location of the decoy. Insome embodiments this process may include accessing Global PositioningSystem (GPS) data but other embodiments may use other locationtechnologies. The process also includes executing a tracking algorithmthat receives at least two inputs: data defining a navigational patternfor the decoy and data identifying the current location of the decoy. Inaddition, the process can operate to identify the current speed anddirection of the decoy. The embodiment may then enter into a loop tocontinuously adjust the current speed and direction of the decoy toassure that the decoy is being navigated in accordance with thenavigational pattern and periodically accessing the positioning receiverto update the real-time current location of the decoy. The process ofadjusting the current speed and direction of the decoy comprises sendingsignals to a propulsion system associated with the decoy to control thespeed of the decoy and sending signals to a steering system to controlthe direction of the decoy.

In various embodiments, the input that defines the navigational patterncan be obtained in a variety of manners and embodiments may include oneor more of the following techniques: (a) presenting pattern options on auser interface and receiving a selection of a pattern; (b) receiving arange to identify a maximum distance from a base location; (c)presenting a user interface to allow a user to draw a pattern on a touchscreen; (d) presenting a control interface to enable a user to directlycontrol the navigation of the decoy, as non-limiting examples.

In the various embodiments, the decoy system may include a decoy body,along with a propulsion system and steering system that is associatedwith the decoy body. Further, the decoy system includes a positioningreceiver that is also associated with the decoy body and configured toprovide a current location of the decoy body. The positioning receivermay be based on GPS or some other location technology.

The decoy system includes a processor that is also associated with thedecoy body and is connected or coupled to the propulsion system, thesteering system and the positioning receiver. The processor operates toread instructions from a memory element and execute the instructions tocontrol the navigation of the decoy body. Among other things, theprocessor sends commands and/or control signals to the propulsion systemand steering system based at least in part on a current locationreceived from the positioning receiver and a desired location. In someembodiments, the propulsion system may be controlled by an ElectronicSpeed Control or ESC. An ESC is an electronic circuit that is configuredto control and regulate the speed of an electric motor, such as one thatmay be used to drive a propulsion system. The ESC may also providereversing of the motor and dynamic braking. Miniature electronic speedcontrols are typically found in electrically powered radio controlledmodels. It should be appreciated that the propulsion system may be basedon brushed motors, brushless motors and other motor types and thecontrol system can be selected or adjusted accordingly.

In some embodiments, the decoy system also includes a control system.The processor is communicatively coupled to the control system. Thecontrol system wirelessly interfaces to a remote control or some othersystem to receive commands, instructions, data, or the like, to help inthe navigational control of the decoy.

In some embodiments, as non-limiting examples, the control system mayinterface to a dedicated remote control or a mobile device (i.e. a smartphone, depth finder, marine radio, etc.) running a mobile app. In suchembodiments, the tracking algorithm can be located within the decoy andexecuted by the processor, in the remote control, or a combination ofboth.

In some embodiments, the decoy system may include an accelerometerand/or a compass. In such embodiments, the processor can control thenavigation of the decoy body based at least in part on informationobtained from the accelerometer and/or compass.

These and other embodiments are more fully described in the detaileddescription accompanied with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the functional components of an exemplaryembodiment of a system, a sub-system or a device that may be included invarious embodiments of the GEO-Decoy, such as a remote controller, adecoy controller, etc.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing specific control functions of anexemplary GEO-Decoy.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary drawing of a decoy device illustrating oneembodiment that includes the functional elements presented in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary drawing of a GEO-Decoy that houses a majority ofthe control components external to the GEO-Decoy.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary high-level flowdiagram for exemplary embodiments of the GEO-Decoy.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary tracking algorithmthat can be employed on one or more embodiments of the GEO-Decoy.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the operational flow of anotherexemplary tracking algorithm.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing various features and aspects of amobile device based remote control app interfacing to a decoy.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a prior art decoy with a ballastthat can be modified in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of abattery pack ballast for a decoy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

The present invention, as well as features and aspects thereof, isdirected towards providing a decoy with a ballast that is configured tohold a power source, such as batteries, and, wherein the decoy includesa system that utilizes current, real-time location information of thedecoy, along with selected pattern information to control the navigationof the decoy.

In the description and claims of the present application, each of theverbs, “comprise”, “include” and “have”, and conjugates thereof, areused to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are notnecessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements, orparts of the subject or subjects of the verb.

Turning now to the figures in which like labels refer to like elementsin the various views, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the functionalcomponents of an exemplary embodiment of a system, a sub-system or adevice that may be included in various embodiments of the GEO-Decoy,such as a remote controller, a decoy controller, etc. It will beappreciated that not all of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 arerequired in all embodiments of the various devices but, each of thecomponents are presented and described in conjunction with FIG. 1 toprovide a complete and overall understanding of the functionalcomponents. A device, such as the control system within the GEO-Decoy ora remote control or an app running on a smart phone or other mobiledevice used to control the GEO-Decoy can include a general computingplatform 100 illustrated as including a processor/memory device 102/104that may be integrated with each other or, communicatively connectedover a bus or similar interface 106. The processor 102 can be a varietyof processor types including microprocessors, micro-controllers,programmable arrays, custom IC's etc. and may also include single ormultiple processors with or without accelerators or the like. The memoryelement of 104 may include a variety of structures, including but notlimited to RAM, ROM, magnetic media, optical media, bubble memory, FLASHmemory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc. The processor 102, or other components inthe controller may also provide components such as a real-time clock,analog to digital convertors, digital to analog convertors, etc. Theprocessor 102 may also interface to a variety of elements including acontrol interface 112, a display adapter 108, an audio adapter 110, andnetwork/device interface 114. The control interface 112 provides aninterface to external controls, such as a propulsion system, steeringsystem, accelerometer, electronic compass, sensors, actuators, pressureactuators, step motors, a keyboard, a mouse, a pin pad, an audioactivated device, a wireless receiver, as well as a variety of the manyother available input and output devices or, another computer orprocessing devices or the like. The display adapter 108 can be used todrive a variety of alert elements 116, such as display devices includingan LED display, LCD display, one or more LEDs or other display devices.The audio adapter 110 interfaces to and drives another alert element118, such as a speaker or speaker system, buzzer, bell, etc. Thenetwork/interface 114 may interface to a network 120 which may be anytype of network including, but not limited to the Internet, Wi-Fi,BLUETOOTH, a global network, a wide area network, a local area network,a wired network, a wireless network or any other network type includinghybrids. Through the network 120, or even directly, the controller 100can interface to other devices or computing platforms such as one ormore servers 122 and/or third party systems 124. A battery or powersource provides power for the controller 100.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing specific control functions of anexemplary GEO-Decoy. The components of the GEO-Decoy 200 include aprocessor 205 that operates as the central controller for the GEO-Decoy.The processor 205 encompasses program and storage memory. The processorreads instructions from the program memory and executes thoseinstructions to perform certain tasks. The program memory may thusinclude modules, routines, programs, etc. that are executed by theprocessor to perform such tasks. The processor 205 is illustrated asoptionally interfacing to a Positioning Receiver 210, a PropulsionSystem 225, a Steering System 230, an Accelerometer 235, a ControlSystem 240, a Compass 245 and a Power System 250.

The processor 205 may be any of a variety of processor chips, ASICS,micro-controllers, etc. The processor 205 may interface to the variouscomponents over a bus system 260 as illustrated, may interface to thevarious components directly through control lines or dedicated lines, ora combination of both. The processor 205 interfaces to a memorycomponent to obtain instructions for operating the GEO-Decoy. Forinstance, the programming for the GEO-Decoy may include one or moredifferent controlling or navigational programs that are used todetermine the various movement parameters of the GEO-Decoy. As anon-limiting example, one program may cause the GEO-Decoy to move in acircular type pattern within a certain radius from a specific location,such as latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. As such, the processorcan follow an algorithm to control the movement of the GEO-Decoy.

The Processor 205 may interface with a GPS Receiver 210 to determine thecurrent location of the GEO-Decoy. The Positioning Receiver 210 receivessignals from a Positioning System 220 and utilizes those signals toidentify a spatial, absolute position. It should be appreciated thatwhile the illustrated and described embodiments emphasize the use of theGlobal Positioning System (GPS), the present invention is not limited tothe use of such system. Some embodiments may use other positioningsystems such as monitoring mobile cellular telephone tower strengths,using a beacon, using a plurality of beacons and performingtriangulation, using a grid system that is wireless or opticallytracked, etc. Thus, in some embodiments, the positioning receiver maysimply receive a signal indicative of its current location, whereas inother embodiments, the positioning receiver 210 may detect one or moresignals and conduct signal analysis and mathematical analysis toidentify its current location. Regardless of the technology employed,the Processor 205 can access the Positioning Receiver 210 to determinethe current location of the GEO-Decoy and use that information as inputto an active controlling algorithm.

Based on the current location of the GEO-Decoy as determined byaccessing the Positioning Receiver 210, the Processor 205, responsive toinstructions in the selected navigational program, can control thePropulsion System 225 and the Steering System 230 to control themovement of the GEO-Decoy. In absolute positioning system, such as theGPS, the Processor 205 can send instructions to the Propulsion System225 and Steering System 230 to direct the GEO-Decoy to a next desired orprogrammed location. The Processor 205 may also interface to anAccelerometer 235 to gather further information regarding the location,direction, speed and orientation of the GEO-Decoy. Similarly, theGEO-Decoy may include a Compass 245, such as an electronic compass or acompass that can be read from a processor. The information from theAccelerometer 235 and/or Compass 245 can also serve as input to theselected navigational program in determining adjustments to make to thePropulsion System 225 and/or the Steering System 230. For instance, ifthe GEO-Decoy has reached the next program position, prior to sendinginstruction signals to the Steering System 230, the orientation of theGEO-Decoy can be determined by accessing the Accelerometer 235 and/orCompass 245 to identify the current orientation of the GEO-Decoy.

In some embodiments, the Propulsion System 225 may be controlled by anElectronic Speed Control or ESC. An ESC is an electronic circuit that isconfigured to control and regulate the speed of an electric motor, suchas one that may be used to drive a propulsion system. The ESC may alsoprovide reversing of the motor and dynamic braking. Miniature electronicspeed controls are typically found in electrically powered radiocontrolled models. It should be appreciated that the propulsion systemmay be based on brushed motors, brushless motors and other motor typesand the control system can be selected or adjusted accordingly. Further,the Steering System 230 may be controlled by a servo-motor or othersimilar mechanism. As a non-limiting example, in response to commandsfrom a remote control or the processor, the servo-motor can be used tomove the Steering System 230 to direct the GEO-Decoy. As those skilledin the art will appreciate, the servo-motor may include a trim featurethat can be used to adjust a steady state or neutral state for theservo-motor so that at rest, the Steering System 230 is set to a defaultposition. In some embodiments this default would be straight but inother embodiments, it may be desired to have the default cause theGEO-Decoy to move in a circular motion. Advantageously, with a circularmotion default, if the GEO-Decoy malfunctions, it may simply revert tomoving in a circle rather than taking off in a single direction.

The Control System 240 can be used for input to the Processor 205 tocontrol the operation of the GEO-Decoy and/or, may be used by theProcessor 205 to control other systems and/or devices. As a non-limitingexample, the Control System 240 may include a BLUETOOTH transceiver forreceiving and transmitting BLUETOOTH signals. It should be appreciatedthat a ZigBee module or an 802.11 transceiver or other similartechnologies may also be utilized. The BLUETOOTH interface can then beused for a variety of purposes, such as to control the operation of theGEO-Decoy, to provide status as to the location of the GEO-Decoy, toprovide status regarding the operation of the GEO-Decoy (i.e., lowbattery, loss of detection of Positioning System 220 signal, SteeringSystem 230 malfunction, Propulsion System 225 malfunction, etc.). Aswill be described in greater detail, a BLUETOOTH or other wirelessinterface may be utilized by a remote control or an app to control andmonitor the operation of the GEO-Decoy.

The GEO-Decoy can be powered by a stored power system, such asbatteries, rechargeable batteries, solar rechargeable batteries, solarassist rechargeable batteries, etc. as a few non-limiting examples. Ingeneral, any portable and wireless power source may be utilized forvarious embodiments of the GEO-Decoy. As a non-limiting example, anembodiment may employ the use of NiCad, Lithium Ion, or other batterytechnologies.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary drawing of a decoy device illustrating oneembodiment that includes the functional elements presented in FIG. 2. Itshould be appreciated that not all of the elements presented in FIG. 2and FIG. 3 are required in all embodiments of the GEO-Decoy and, theelements listed in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 do not limit the inclusion of otheradditional elements into the various embodiments. Further, thefunctional break down presented in the drawings do not necessarilycorrespond with manufacturing and/or programming implementations but arerather presented in an effort to explain the operation of the variousembodiments.

The GEO-Decoy can be fabricated out of a variety of materials, so longas the GEO-Decoy is buoyant and stable. For instance, some embodimentsmay be fabricated from hard plastic with a hollow interior. Otherembodiments may be manufactured from STYROFOAM or other open cell orclosed cell foam material. Yet other embodiments can be made frommaterials such as rubber, nylon, silicone, aluminum, wood, compositematerial, etc. as a few non-limiting examples. As such, some embodimentsmay be hollow, some solid and some solid with compartments for thevarious elements. For instance, some embodiments may house some or allof the control elements within the interior of the GEO-Decoy. Otherembodiments may have one or more of the control elements external to theGEO-Decoy. The embodiment presented in FIG. 3 is a substantially hollowdecoy housing most of the components within the interior of the decoy.As illustrated, the GEO-Decoy 200 houses the Processor 205, PositioningReceiver 210, the Accelerometer 235 (if included), the Compass 245 (ifincluded), the Power System 250 and at least a portion of the PropulsionSystem 225. The Steering System 230 is shown as being external to theGEO-Decoy 200 but includes an interface to the Processor 205 for controlpurposes.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary drawing of a GEO-Decoy that houses a majority ofthe control components external to the GEO-Decoy. In the illustratedembodiment, the GEO-Decoy 400 includes an external pod 405 for housingthe various control components. The external pod can be used as aballast to help stabilize the GEO-Decoy and can be shaped to efficientlycut through the water. The external pod 405 is illustrated as beingattached to the underside or other area of the GEO-Decoy 400 by shaft410. In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft 410 includes acommunication interface between the Processor 205 and the PositioningReceiver 210 and the Control System 240. Thus, the Processor 205 canread the positioning coordinates from the Positioning Receiver 210 andsend/receive commands and status information over the Control System240. The remainder of the components are illustrated as being housedwithin the pod 405. This includes the Propulsion System 225, theSteering System 230, the Accelerometer 235 (if any), the Compass 245 (ifany) and the Power System 250. It should be appreciated that in variousembodiments, different arrangements of the components can be utilized.Thus, different combinations of components being housed within the decoyor the pod are anticipated. It should be appreciated that otherembodiments are also anticipated, such as the pod being directlyattached underneath the decoy, on top of the decoy, or other positionsas well.

It should be appreciated that while the GEO-Decoy is illustrated asbeing a duck, other embodiments are also anticipated such as geese orany other water fowl or swimming animal. Thus, decoys that includevarious embodiments of the present invention may be used for huntingfowl, as well as alligators, sharks, etc. Furthermore, the GEO-Decoys,while predominately described herein as being deployed on the water,other embodiments can be deployable on dry ground or even launched inflight and the various features and aspects of the navigational controlcan still be utilized in such embodiments.

In the various embodiments, the decoy body and/or the pod need to beconstructed in a waterproof or water resistant fashion to prevent theelectronics in the control system from getting wet. Thus, the decoy bodyand/or the pod can be equipped with a water proof door or hatch that canbe opened to gain access to the interior for installing the controlelectronics, changing batteries and maintaining the control electronics.The doors, hatches or opening may be equipped with rubber or silicongaskets to help prevent water leakage. It should be appreciated that insome embodiments, the components within the decoy may be waterproof orwater resistant in addition to or in lieu of the decoy being waterproofor water resistant.

The GEO-Decoy can be moved or propelled in the water using a variety oftechniques. A few non-limiting examples of embodiment of the PropulsionSystem 225 include jet propulsion including water, air and/or steam jetpropulsion, a miniature propeller, paddle wheel, fins or simulated feet,turbulent tube, a bilge pump, sails or fins on top of the GEO-Decoy tocapture wind and be propelled by airflow, as well as a fan on top of thedecoy. The propulsion system can be a fixed speed or may have theability to adjust between specific speeds either as a step function or acontinuous adjustment.

The GEO-Decoy is guided in specific directions using the Steering System230. The Steering System 230 may be implemented in a variety of waysusing a variety of technologies. In one exemplary embodiment, theSteering System 230 may include a rudder located under the GEO-Decoy andthat can be moved between various positions in response to commands fromthe Processor 205. Thus, the Processor 205 can send commands to theSteering System 230 to cause the GEO-Decoy to turn left or right atvarious degrees, or to continue forward. In some embodiments, the ruddercan be used to help brake or retard the speed of the GEO-Decoy.

In other embodiments, Propulsion System 225 and Steering System 230 canbe combined into a single system. For instance, in a jet propulsionsystem, the jet output tube can be moved to various positions ororientations to direct the GEO-Decoy. In some embodiments, the jetoutput tube can be adjusted to propel the GEO-Decoy forward, turn theGEO-Decoy left at various degrees, turn the GEO-Decoy right at variousdegrees and even propel the GEO-Decoy backwards.

It should be understood that other mechanism may also be used for thePropulsion System 225 and the Steering System 230 and the describedembodiments should not be construed as limiting examples. As anothernon-limiting example, the Propulsion System 225 and the Steering System230 may include multiple propulsion elements in various orientations. Insuch an embodiment, the GEO-Decoy can be steered by changing the speedof or the power applied to the various propulsion elements. For example,a jet propulsion system may include four nozzles, one facing rearwards,one facing forwards, one facing to the right and one facing to left. Byaltering the velocity of the water, air or steam that is forced out ofthe propulsion tube the direction of the GEO-Decoy can be controlled.Similar techniques can be utilized for other propulsion systems, aswell.

In addition to utilizing the Positioning Receiver 210 to identify thelocation of the GEO-Decoy, Accelerometers 235 can be utilized todetermine or at least estimate the orientation of the GEO-Decoy. Theorientation information can be useful in knowing what adjustments tomake in attempting to steer the GEO-Decoy to a new location. Toaccomplish this, the GEO-Decoy control system should use threeaccelerometers with each one operating on different planes (i.e. in theX, Y and Z planes). Then the amplitude of the various accelerometers canbe read to obtain a relative direction vector of the motion, providedthe orientation of the sensors are known. This information combined witha gravity direction sensor and/or magnetic field sensor, such as usingCompass 245, can thus be used to determine the direction information andthe orientation of the GEO-Decoy.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary high-level flowdiagram for exemplary embodiments of the GEO-Decoy. The algorithm 500commences and at block 510 proceeds to read the current location of theGEO-Decoy. As described above, this step may include the Processor 205accessing the Positioning Receiver 210 to obtain the current coordinatesof the GEO-Decoy, as well, as obtaining orientation and speedinformation from the Accelerometers 235, Compass 245 and Steering System230.

A program or pattern is then activated, or selected and then activatedif multiple programs or patterns exist 520. A pattern is a set of rules,heuristics, data and/or commands that are used as input to control thedirection and movement of the GEO-Decoy. A GEO-Decoy may include onepattern or may include multiple patterns that can be randomly,programmatically or operationally selected and enabled. For instance, inan exemplary embodiment, the GEO-Decoy may include the followingpatterns as non-limiting examples:

-   -   (a) FIG. 8 Pattern    -   (b) Oval/Circular Pattern    -   (c) Random Pattern    -   (d) Simple Back and Forth Pattern

Thus, some patterns, in some embodiments may include a series of desiredlocations and a vectored path for traversing from one desired locationto the next. Other patterns may simply include a range or maximumdistance that the GEO-Decoy can move away from a base location. Otherpatterns may simply include a series of instructions for changing and/oradjusting the speed and direction of the decoy as a series of timedevents. Further, each these patterns may include parameters such as apattern size (i.e., 5, 10, 15 or 20 foot ranges) and the program mayinclude various speed settings. It should be appreciated that the speedsettings can be operationally selected, such as by the user of theGEO-Decoy, or randomly or programmatically selected.

Once a program is selected and activated, the Processor 205 operates asa tracking algorithm to follow the program 530.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary tracking algorithmthat can be employed on one or more embodiments of the GEO-Decoy. In theillustrated flow diagram, the tracking algorithm first accesses theprogram to obtain the next destination to which the GEO-Decoy is to bemoved 610. Next, in accordance with the program, the speed of theGEO-Decoy is selected and any direction adjustments of the GEO-Decoy areselected and/or calculated 620. As previously described, this processcan include obtaining readings from accelerometers, compasses,gyroscopes, gravity sensors, etc. to further calculate adjustments thatmust be made to direct the GEO-Decoy to the next destination. Thus, itshould be appreciated that such features allow the positioning receiver,such as a GPS receiver, to identify the current location of theGEO-Decoy, and the accelerometers, compass, gyroscope and/or gravitysensors provide information to determine the direction and orientationof the GEO-Decoy. Together, this information enables even more precisecontrol over the GEO-Decoy. Once the Processor 205 has sent theappropriate commands to the Propulsion System 225 and Steering System230 and set the desired speed, immediately or after a short delay, thecurrent location of the GEO-Decoy is determined by reading locationparameters from the Positioning Receiver 210 at step 630. The delay canbe sub-second or may be several seconds or minutes depending on theembodiments, environmental conditions, etc.

At decision block 640, the current location of the GEO-Decoy is comparedto the next destination. If the GEO-Decoy has reached the nextdestination, then a new next destination is selected by traversing backto block 610. Otherwise, the tracking algorithm continues by adjustingthe speed and direction parameters of the GEO-Decoy 620, if necessaryand continues in a loop of reading the current location 630 and thencomparing that to the next destination.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the operational flow of anotherexemplary tracking algorithm. In this embodiment, the tracking algorithmcommences by obtaining positioning or location boundaries from theprogram 710. The boundaries define a geo-fence in which the GEO-Decoy isto be maintained. Based on the current location of the GEO-Decoy, thetracking algorithm then calculates a speed and direction that issuitable for the movement of the GEO-Decoy 720 but maintaining theintegrity of the boundaries. In the various embodiments, the directionof the GEO-Decoy can be controlled by following a pattern within theboundaries or simply by random selections of speeds and/or directions.Once the speed and direction of the GEO-Decoy has been set, theProcessor 205 can access the Positioning Receiver 210 to obtain thecurrent location of the GEO-Decoy. If the current location is notoutside of the boundaries 740, then operation continues at block 720 toselect a speed and direction in accordance with the algorithm. However,if the current location is outside of the boundaries 740, then recoveryactions 750 can be taken to get the GEO-Decoy back within theboundaries. The recovery actions 750 may include directing the GEO-Decoyto an absolute location that is positioned within the middle of theboundaries as a non-limiting example.

It should be appreciated that a wide variety of algorithms andmethodologies may be utilized in various tracking algorithms andprograms and while the presented techniques may be considered to benovel, the various embodiments are not necessarily limited to theembodiments presented within this disclosure.

As previously described, the operation of the GEO-Decoy can becontrolled either randomly, programmatically or by user control (as wellas combinations of any of these techniques). For instance, a GEO-Decoymay be controlled randomly by having the Processor 205 randomly select amode of operation when power is applied. Further, periodically theProcessor 205 can randomly select a different mode of operation eitherin accordance with a schedule or also randomly.

In other embodiments, the GEO-Decoy can be programmatically controlled.For instance, when the GEO-Decoy is powered up, a user can actuatebuttons or keys that are detected through the Control System 240 andused to select or program the operation of the GEO-Decoy. Thus, a usercan select to have the GEO-Decoy operate in one mode, such as followingpattern 1, for a given period of time and then switch to a differentmode upon the expiration of that time period.

Some embodiments may include a wireless receiver within the GEO-Decoy toallow the user to remotely control the operation of the GEO-Decoy. Forinstance, as a non-limiting example, a handheld device may include avariety of buttons or keys that can be actuated to send specificcommands to the GEO-Decoy. Exemplary commands may include changing amode of operation (i.e., picking a new pattern for the decoy), changingthe speed, sounding an audible alarm (such as a quacking noise) orturning on a light to help the hunter locate the GEO-Decoy, etc.

In an exemplary embodiment, the remote control may be a dedicatedelectronic device that communicates wirelessly with the GEO-Decoy, suchas with WI-FI, BLUETOOTH, ZigBee or unlicensed RF frequencies, infraredor other wireless technologies. In such embodiments, the GEO-Decoyincludes a wireless transceiver and the remote control includes awireless transceiver. However, it will be appreciated that in someembodiments, a “dumb” remote may be used. In such an embodiment, theremote does not provide any analysis or control of the decoy but rathersimply sends signals commensurate with commands that have been selectedon the user interface of the remote control. All analysis and processingthen would take place within the electronics or control system withinthe decoy. In such an embodiment, the remote control may only include atransmitter rather than a transceiver. In addition, in some embodiments,the decoy may be considered the “dumb” device and all processing canoccur within the remote control. In such embodiments, the processing andanalysis occurs within the remote control and commands used to steer andnavigate the decoy are sent to a receiver within the decoy. Thus, insuch embodiments the decoy would only need a receiver rather than atransceiver. Still in other embodiments, various processing functionsmay be distributed in a wide arrange of techniques between the decoy andthe remote control. In such embodiments, the decoy and the remote wouldboth require a transceiver. A common communication protocol is sharedbetween the two devices for sending commands, control signals andobtaining status and responses.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing various features and aspects of amobile device based remote control app interfacing to a decoy. In suchembodiments, the remote control device may be an app running on a mobiledevice, such as an IPHONE, ANDROID, etc. As such, the user can downloada control app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store (as well asother similar stores or downloadable sources) and run the app on his orher mobile device. Upon initiation, the user can insure that the remotecontrol and the GEO-Decoy 800, with its internal hardware and/orsoftware control circuitry 810 and 240 are communicating correctly. Forinstance, in a BLUETOOTH based system, the user can pair one or moreGEO-Decoys with the app. Once paired, the user can be presented with ahome screen 880A. In the illustrated embodiment, the home screen 880Adepicts a plurality of soft buttons that can be selected by a user. Forinstance, the user can actuate the SELECT PATTERN soft button whichcould result in traversing to the pattern selection screen 880B. Anexemplary patent selection screen may offer multiple patterns that theuser can select, such as circle, range, square, triangular, zig-zag,random, custom, etc. In the illustrated pattern selection screen 880B,circle, range, random and custom are illustrated.

The home screen 880A may also include a RETURN button. The RETURN buttonmay be used to retrieve the GEO-Decoy 800 by having the GEO-Decoy 800navigate to the user. For example, upon actuating the RETURN button, theapp may read the location coordinates of the mobile device and then senda command to the GEO-Decoy 800 requesting the GEO-Decoy 800 to proceedto the location of the mobile device. The GEO-Decoy 800 may include atracking algorithm internally, similar to the algorithm depicted in FIG.6, and use the received location as the next destination. Thus, thehunter can retrieve the GEO-Decoy 800 by actuating the RETURN button andcausing the GEO-Decoy 800 to return to the hunter. In other embodiments,the tracking algorithm may reside within the app only. In suchembodiments, the app would end querying the GEO-Decoy 800 to identifyits current location, then calculate speed and steering commands to sendto the GEO-Decoy 800 to direct the GEO-Decoy 800 towards the hunter'slocation. In other embodiments, actuating the RETURN button may resultin guiding the GEO-Decoy to return to the base location and hover atthat location for retrieval.

It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, a single remotecontrol can be utilized to control multiple GEO-Decoys. For instance, adedicated remote control may include a switch to select which GEO-Decoyis to be controlled or, may include a dedicated set of buttons for eachGEO-Decoy. In some embodiments, the communication between the remotecontrol and a particular GEO-Decoy may be controlled by addressingheaders, frequency differences, as well as other techniques known tothose skilled in the art. In a mobile device or smart phone embodimentrunning an app, the interface may allow the user to select which of theGEO-Decoys to control, which subset of decoys or to select all decoys.For instance, in an exemplary embodiment, actuating the RETURN button ina multi-GEO-Decoy environment may result in navigating all of theGEO-Decoys to the base location for retrieval.

In some embodiments, in addition to the RETURN function, or in lieuthereof, the GEO-Decoy may include a battery level sensor and, when thebattery level drops below a particular threshold, the decoy may reportthe battery level to the remote control and/or automatically invoke anaction, such as powering down, returning to the base location, soundingan alarm, etc.

The home screen 880A is also shown as including an ALARM button. In anexemplary embodiment, the GEO-Decoy 800 may include a light, a buzzer orother visual/audio device such as a device to generate quacking sounds.In response to a user actuating the ALARM button, a command can be sentto the GEO-Decoy 800 to cause the light and/or buzzer to go off, thuscreating visual and/or audio alarm that can be used to help a hunterfind a missing GEO-Decoy.

The home screen 880A is also shown as including a STATUS button. In anexemplary embodiment, the STATUS button can be used to obtain a currentstatus of the GEO-Decoy 800. For instance, the app may send a statusrequest to the GEO-Decoy and the GEO-Decoy may respond by sending itscurrent location, orientation, speed, battery level, alarm state,current mode of operation, etc.

In the exemplary pattern selection screen 880B, the user is presentedwith options to select a CIRCLE pattern, a RANGE, a RANDOM pattern or aCUSTOM pattern. Selecting the CIRCLE pattern, in some embodiments, mayresult in sending a command to the GEO-Decoy to invoke a program thatcause the GEO-Decoy to move in a circular pattern relative to aparticular location. For instance, actuating the CIRLCE button mayresult in requesting the GEO-Decoy to move in a circular patternrelative to its current location and to maintain a radius of X from thecurrent location. Alternatively, upon selecting the CIRCLE button, theuser may be prompted to enter or select a value for the radius and thespeed.

Selecting the RANGE button may result in prompting the user to enter adistance that the GEO-Decoy can move within or from a particularlocation. Selecting the RANDOM button can result in moving the GEO-Decoyin a random fashion or, in selecting a pattern from random or, randomlychanging the selected pattern. Selecting the CUSTOM button maytransition to a custom pattern screen 880C. It should be understood thatmany other configurations for the pattern selection screen 880B may beutilized with different buttons, menu access, and other designs and theillustrated screen is just one non-limiting example. The user may haveaccess to many other patterns and parameter configurations for thosepatterns etc.

In the various embodiments, when a particular pattern is selected, thetracking algorithm may proceed to move or navigate the GEO-Decoyrelative to a base location. For instance, if a circle pattern isselected, the GEO-Decoy may be moved in a circular pattern that iscentered on the base location. If a FIG. 8 pattern is selected, theGEO-Decoy may be moved in a FIG. 8 pattern that crosses over at the baselocation, as a non-limiting example. It should also be appreciated thatin some embodiments, or for some patterns, multiple base locations maybe selected. For instance, if a triangular pattern is selected, theGEO-Decoy may be moved in a triangular fashion between three base pointsin some embodiments, or moving in a triangular pattern that is centeredon a single base point in other embodiments.

The base location may be the GEO-Decoy's “current location”, a “selectedlocation” or a “relative location” (such as 30 feet north from thecurrent location). For the “current location” configuration, the baselocation would be determined based on the current physical location ofthe GEO-Decoy at a particular time, such as the time the GEO-Decoy isbeing deployed. Thus, the positioning receiver 210 can be read to obtainthe current location, and then the tracking algorithm can commence basedon the received current location. In the “selected position”configuration, the user can select a base location. For instance, themobile app may present a map on the screen based on the current locationof the mobile device. The user can then touch the screen at the locationhe or she desires to be the base location. In response to the selection,the position coordinates associated with the selected location can beextracted and provided to the tracking program. In the multi-baselocation embodiments, the user can select multiple locations in thissame manner. In the “relative location” configuration, the user sets thebase location to be an offset from the current location. Thus, the usercan select a distance and a direction. The positioning receiver 210 canbe read to obtain the current location and then the base location can becalculated based on the distance and direction. For instance, if theuser is standing in the hunting vicinity, such as a field, marsh, on thebank or body of water, the hunter can look around to identify an idealbase location. The user can then look at a compass to determine thedirection to the desired base location (or estimate using the locationof the sun) and then measure or estimate the distance to the desiredbase location. The GEO-Decoy can then be deployed or launched at thehunter's current position and the tracking algorithm can operate to movethe GEO-Decoy towards the calculated base location as part of thetracking algorithm's operation.

In various embodiments, the technique used to determine the baselocation may be selected as a default when the user initializes thedevice or in the system settings of the mobile app, programmed into theGEO-Decoy and or remote control at the time of manufacture or beselected at time of deployment or in real-time by the user.

The tracking algorithm and/or control software can reside and run withinthe GEO-Decoy 800, within a remote control or a combination of both. Inthe GEO-Decoy based embodiments, the remote control or mobile app wouldinteract with the GEO-Decoy by sending commands and obtaining status.For instance, if a user selected to operate the GEO-Decoy in a circularpattern, the mobile app could send a command to the GEO-Decoy to requestsuch operation. The software or system within the GEO-Decoy, in responseto the command, could launch a tracking algorithm to control thenavigation of the GEO-Decoy and cause it to follow a circular pattern.Further, the software within the GEO-Decoy could also send prompts tothe remote or mobile app requesting further information, such as theradius of the circle, the speed of the GEO-Decoy, the selection of baselocation, etc. The tracking algorithm, such as the algorithms of FIG. 5,FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, as non-limiting examples, can control the operation ornavigation of the GEO-Decoy to maintain it within the selected patternor range.

As with typical wireless and/or battery based devices, the operation ofthe GEO-Decoy is limited based on the battery life (i.e., how long ittakes the operation of the GEO-Decoy to deplete the stored batterycharge). As such, in various embodiments the system may operate tomaximize the battery life. One such technique that can be employed inthe various embodiments is to periodically turn the heavy powerconsuming components off. For instance, the propulsion system can beturned on and off over a duty cycle to prolong battery life. Asnon-limiting examples, the propulsion system can be turned on and off ata 50-50 duty cycle, 60-40 duty cycle 70-30, 40-60 etc. In anotherembodiment, the direction and speed information may be prepared based onthe current location of the GEO-Decoy, and the propulsion system can beturned on and off periodically based on how well it is progressingtowards the target location. For instance, if the GEO-Decoy is beingdriven towards a desired location by the wind, the propulsion system maybe utilized less. Thus, if the program determines that the movement ofthe GEO-Decoy between readings exceeds an expected threshold, theprogram may determine that currents or wind is helping to propel theGEO-Decoy. The program may then augment the duty cycle of the propulsionsystem to take advantage of the natural propulsion and thus save batterlife.

In some embodiments, the GEO-Decoy may include a battery charging portand algorithms for charging the battery. As a non-limiting example, if apower source is plugged into the charging port, the processor may detectthe presence of the charging source and invoke a charging algorithm. Theprocessor can monitor the temperature of the batteries, the voltagelevel of the batteries, the amperes provided to the charging circuitetc. and control the charging operation accordingly.

It should be appreciated that in a typical hunting environment, thehunting area may be exposed to natural elements, such as wind and/orwater flow. In heavy wind or strong water flow environments, theuntethered operation of the GEO-Decoy may not be practical. Forinstance, the wind or current may over power the propulsion system thuspreventing the desired navigation of the GEO-Decoy or even driving theGEO-Decoy away. At times, it may be desirable to utilize the GEO-Decoyin such windy or strong current environments. It may be inconvenient forhunters to bring both a set GEO-Decoys as well as a set of anchoreddecoys to a hunting sight. As such, some embodiments of the GEO-Decoymay be equipped with a line and an anchor. In such embodiments, if thecurrent and/or wind conditions are too strong, the hunter can simplydeploy the GEO-Decoys like a normal anchored decoy by attaching one endof the line to the GEO-Decoy and the other end to an anchor, such as alead weight. The anchor can then be dropped in the water and the decoywill be driven by the wind and/or current but, its motion will belimited by the attached line.

In some embodiments, the navigational control of the GEO-Decoy may beused in conjunction with a line and anchor during heavy wind and/orcurrent environments. For instance, the line and anchor can be deployedas described above during windy or high-current conditions. The remotecontrol may include a button, such as a WINDY button that can beactuated to cause the navigational system to control the GEO-Decoy inthis mode of operation. Alternatively, or in addition, the navigationalsystem can autonomously monitor the location of the GEO-Decoy and, thenavigational system can determine if the GEO-Decoy is at the end of thetaut line and just sitting in one location and then automatically invokethe WINDY mode of operation. In either case, the navigational system canthen cause the GEO-Decoy to move towards a new location. For instance,the GEO-Decoy can receive a heading or a direction (i.e. 360 degrees)and a speed (i.e., and ¾ throttle) and then the tracking program cannavigate the GEO-Decoy accordingly. When the GEO-Decoy reaches a desiredlocation, such as the end of the line in the selected heading, or aparticular distance such as 15 feet, the navigation program can turn offthe propulsion system and allow the GEO-Decoy to begin to drift again atthe forces of the wind and/or current. The program can repeat thisprocess during the operational hunt.

Similarly, if the user has deployed multiple GEO-Decoys, each of theGEO-Decoys may be given a different heading. For instance, one GEO-Decoymay be sent at 180 degrees, one at 160 degrees, one at 140 degrees andone at 200 degrees. It should also be appreciated that in someembodiments utilizing multiple decoys, the decoys can include sensorsand proximity detectors to detect the presence of other decoys and theposed-gender of the decoys and enter algorithms to move in relationshipto each other to simulate a real-life scenario of ducks or fowlinteracting with each other.

In some embodiments, the remote control may include a swim randomlybutton that can be used either in the free form mode of operation or theanchored/tethered form of operation.

Some embodiments of the GEO-Decoy may include a self-deploying andretracting line and anchor. The GEO-Decoy may include a recess, a trapdoor or an external mount for receiving an automatic winding andunwinding spool, like a mini-wince, that can be controlled by theprocessor to deploy or retract the anchor and line. Thus, if thenavigational system determines that the GEO-Decoy is being driven bywind or currents, or if the user manually selects the appropriateactuator, the GEO-Decoy may deploy the anchor and line and commenceWINDY mode of operation. If the conditions change, then the GEO-Decoymay automatically retract the line and anchor or, the user can manuallytrigger the retraction of the same.

In addition, some embodiments may include an ON/Off button on the remoteand/or the GEO-Decoys to allow the GEO-Decoys to be turned off when notin use. This feature is useful during transport of the GEO-Decoys,during inactive periods during the hunt, etc. In addition, a user maywant to turn off one or more of the GEO-Decoys if something is wrong,such as the GEO-Decoy is stuck in shallow water, the propulsion systemhas sucked up some grass or weeds, etc. Having the ability to turn oneor more of the GEO-Decoys off from the remote control can prevent theGEO-Decoy from getting damaged, lost or from draining the battery. Assuch, some embodiments may include an auto-off feature that is triggeredautomatically based on particular conditions. In some embodiments, theauto-off feature may be triggered manually rather than automatically. Asa non-limiting example, if the GEO-Decoy has not moved for a period oftime or has veered off course and is not correcting itself, the auto-offfeature can be triggered to power down the device. Such a feature mayprevent the GEO-Decoy from damaging itself, getting lost, etc. It shouldbe appreciated, that rather than powering down the GEO-Decoy, thedetected conditions may result in immobilizing the device and/or causingit to sound an alarm. It should be appreciated that the auto-off featurecan be implemented within the GEO-Decoy and/or the remote control.

In other embodiments, the tracking algorithm and/or control software canreside and run within the remote control, such as a mobile app runningon a mobile device. In such embodiments, the remote control interfaceswith a user for the selection of the tracking operation, and theninterfaces with the GEO-Decoy with control and status instructions. Asan example, a user may interface with the remote control to select acircular pattern at a specific radius and speed, and identify a baselocation. This information can be loaded into the tracking algorithm andthe remote control can access the GEO-Decoy to determine its currentlocation, speed, direction, etc. Based on the received information, theselected pattern, the base location and other location information thatmay be associated with the pattern, the tracking algorithm can calculatethe speed and directional adjustments that need to be made to keep theGEO-Decoy on pattern. Control commands can then be sent from the remotecontrol to the GEO-Decoy to make the calculated adjustments. Thisprocess can be repeated while the GEO-Decoy is deployed.

Yet in other embodiments, a hybrid approach can be utilized bydistributing various levels of operation and control between the remotecontrol and the GEO-Decoy.

Screen 880C of the remote control illustrates the operational state whena user selects a custom pattern. This feature is especially advantageousin an area that may include rocks, trees, stumps, thick patches ofgrass, etc. The screen of the remote control, such as a mobile devicerunning a mobile app, can represent the area in which the GEO-Decoy isto be deployed. In one embodiment, the user can simply draw a pattern onthe screen and the app will use that pattern for navigation of theGEO-Decoy. In some embodiments, a satellite image of the area, such asGOOGLE satellite image, may be presented on the screen and the user candraw a pattern that navigates around natural obstacles, such as rocks,trees, stumps, patches of grass, etc.

Screen 880D of the remote control illustrates the operational state whena user selects to have direct control over the navigation of theGEO-Decoy. In an exemplary embodiment, the user can touch on thedisplayed arrows F to move the GEO-Decoy forward, L to move theGEO-Decoy to the left, R to move the GEO-Decoy to the right and B tomove the GEO-Decoy backwards. A touch location at the center of thearrows could be used to cause the GEO-Decoy to stop. Further, the usermay have a speed control such as the slide control labeled SPEED. Theuser can move the slide towards the [−] label to decrease the speed andtowards the [+] to increase the speed. It should be appreciated that insome embodiments, the user can maintain direct control over thenavigation of the GEO-Decoy using this interface and, in addition, insome embodiments the tracking software may record the selectednavigational control for a period of time and then, continuously repeatthe recorded pattern.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a prior art decoy with a keelthat is also operating as a ballast. The illustrated prior art can bemodified in accordance with the present invention. The decoy 900includes a main body 910 and a keel/ballast 920. The main body 910 canbe constructed of a variety of materials as described herein, as well asother materials, to ensure that the duck body floats on top of thewater. However, it should be appreciated that the use of a ballast 920or weighting system under the main body 910 can be used to providestability and prevent the decoy from turning upside down rolling. Asthose skilled in the art will understand, a ballast is a heavy elementthat is attached under a floating device or associated with a lowerportion of a floating device, such as a ship or balloon gondola toenhance the stability of the same. The ballast can be constructed from awide range of materials but a high level of density is desirable. Assuch sand, lead and other such elements provide good materials for aballast. The ballast can be a solid material or it can be hollow andinclude an opening or plug 925 to allow a substance to be filled intothe hollow cavity of the ballast 920. For example, the plug 925 can beremoved and sand can be poured into the hollow ballast 920 and theballast 920 resealed, as a non-limiting example.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of abattery pack keel/ballast for a decoy. In the illustrated embodiment,the decoy 1000 includes a main decoy body 1010, which can be similar tothe GEO-Decoys that have been described herein, and a sleeve 1020 forreceiving and housing one or more batteries. The sleeve 1020 isillustrated as being attached to the decoy body 1010 with a flange 1030,but multiple flanges, or other techniques may also be used to attach theballast 1020 to the main body 1010. Advantageously, as the ballastsleeve 1020 is moved further below the decoy body 1010, the stability isenhanced. As such, the ballast 1020 may be attached with various sizedflanges 1030 that can be used in varying wind and water conditionscenarios.

As previously described, the GEO-Decoy can be powered by a stored powersystem, such as batteries, rechargeable batteries, solar rechargeablebatteries, solar assist rechargeable batteries, etc. as a fewnon-limiting examples. In general, any portable and wireless powersource may be utilized for various embodiments of the GEO-Decoy. As anon-limiting example, an embodiment may employ the use of NiCad, LithiumIon, NiMH, acid, or other battery technologies.

The sleeve 1020 is illustrated as a tube but, the sleeve can actually beany of a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Preferably, the sleeve issized to receive and house a battery or a battery pack that is used forpowering circuitry 1035 within the decoy body 1010. At least two lines,contacts or connections (referred to as connections hereinafter) 1055 aand 1055 b are provided between the battery or battery pack within thesleeve 1020 and the circuitry 1035 within the decoy body 1010. Theseconnections include a positive connection and a return or groundconnection. It should be appreciated that other connections may also beprovided. For instance, a thermistor can be included within the sleeveto measure the temperature. The thermistor may be connected to thecontrol circuitry 1035 so that the temperature can be monitored toassist or optimize charging cycles, detect overload conditions, etc.

In some embodiments, the battery and/or battery pack can utilizedisposable batteries. As such, the cap 1025 can be removed from thesleeve 1020 and the disposable batteries can be inserted into the sleeve1020. The cap 1025 can then be replaced. The cap 1025 is configured suchthat when it is installed on the sleeve 1020, the interior of the sleeve1020 is sealed so that water cannot invade the interior of the sleeve1020. It should be appreciated that the cap 1025 can be a screw on cap,a snap on cap, a plug or a variety of other water tight techniques. Inaddition, rather than a water tight connection with the cap 1025 andsleeve 1020, a silicon or rubber sheath can be fitted over the cap endof the sleeve. The sheath can be configured to provide a tight fit toprevent water from entering the interior of the sleeve 1020.

In some embodiments, rechargeable batteries can be utilized. Therechargeable batteries can be inserted into the sleeve 1020. However, itshould be appreciated that some embodiments may not include a sleevetype structure but rather simply include a casing or water proofwrapping of the rechargeable batteries. Because the rechargeablebatteries do not need to be removed or replaced, a cap is not necessary.As such, a rubber coating can be used to completely encase the batterieswith the exception of the contacts. Further, the entire battery back canthen serve as the ballast and when the batteries reach their lifeexpectancy, the entire battery pack can be replaced.

For the rechargeable embodiments, a port 1040 may be included on thesleeve 1020, or encasement, to enable the connection of a chargingsource for charging the batteries. In such embodiments, the port 1040may include a plug to prevent the ingress of water into the sleeve orbattery area. Alternatively, the port 1040 may be included in the decoybody 1010. It should be appreciated that the circuitry for rechargingthe batteries may be included in the interior of the decoy body 1010 orthe ballast or sleeve 1020 or it may be external to both the sleeve 1020and decoy body 1010 and simply connected to the batteries via the port1040.

Some embodiments may include a hybrid of charging circuitry andfunctionality. For instance, heat striking the surface of the decoy 1000can be converted into energy that is then applied to the batteries as atrickle charge. Likewise, solar cells can be included on the decoy 1000to collect light and convert the same into charging energy. The use oftrickle charging can prolong the charge cycle of the batteries and henceincrease the use time of the decoy between charges.

In some embodiments, the ballast 1020 can be detached from the main body1010 of the decoy and suspended by a conductive cable and thus used asan anchor for the decoy and a range boundary definition. In otherembodiments, waterproof batteries could simply be attached to the bottomof the GEO-Decoy using hook and loop material, VELCRO, clamps, etc. Insome embodiments, the GEO-Decoy may include a built in keel that isconfigured to either receive the batteries or to hold the batteries. Forinstance, the underside of the GEO-Decoy may define a keel that includesan opening for receiving one or more batteries.

The various embodiments have been described as including software andfirmware elements that may exist in a memory element of the GEO-Decoyand/or a memory element within the remote control. Some embodiments havebeen described as a GEO-Decoy system that includes all of theoperational elements within itself, while other embodiments have beendescribed as utilizing a remote control to operate in conjunction withthe GEO-Decoy. Further, in these latter embodiments, the functionalityrequired to operate and control the navigation of the GEO-Decoy can bedistributed between the operational elements within the GEO-Decoy andthe remote control. It should be appreciated that such functionalelements can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, etc. aswell as any combination of these. In embodiments that utilize softwareand/or firmware, there may be a need to upgrade the software/firmware toprovide bug fixes and/or additional features. The GEO-Decoy and theremote control may include a port or an interface, along with thenecessary control mechanisms, to receive such software and/or firmwareupgrades or, the devices may include a removable and replaceablecomponent part for such upgrades (i.e. customized ASIC, ROM chip, EPROMchip, etc.). It should be appreciated that software updates may also beperformed wirelessly or over-the-air for both the GEO-Decoy and theremote control. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with thevarious techniques available for accomplishing this and any suchtechnique may be utilized in the various embodiments. As a non-limitingexample, in the embodiment that includes a mobile device running adownloadable app and interfacing to the GEO-Decoy, updates can beperformed by prompting the user to download a new version of the app forthe remote control, and then the remote control interfacing with theGEO-Decoy to update the software within the GEO-Decoy.

The present invention has been described using detailed descriptions ofembodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are notintended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodimentscomprise different features, not all of which are required in allembodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the present inventionutilize only some of the features or possible combinations of thefeatures. Variations of embodiments of the present invention that aredescribed and embodiments of the present invention comprising differentcombinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occurto persons of the art.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited by what has been particularly shown anddescribed herein above. Rather the scope of the invention is defined bythe claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A decoy system comprising: a decoy body; apropulsion system coupled to the decoy body; a steering system coupledto the decoy body; a processor associated with the decoy body andcommunicatively coupled to the propulsion system and the steering systemand configured to receive instructions and execute the instructions tonavigate the decoy body by controlling the propulsion system andsteering system, wherein the processor is further configured to read theinstructions from a tangible medium and execute the instructions tomonitor a voltage level of a battery element and if the voltage leveldrops below a particular threshold, the processor controls thenavigation of the decoy body by sending it to a particular location; apositioning receiver coupled to the decoy body and configured to providea current location of the decoy body; and a ballast coupled to anunderside of the decoy body and configured to house the battery element,the ballast includes at least two connections for connecting from thebattery element to the propulsion system, steering system and processor.2. A decoy system comprising: a decoy body; a propulsion system coupledto the decoy body; a steering system coupled to the decoy body; aprocessor associated with the decoy body and communicatively coupled tothe propulsion system and the steering system and configured to receiveinstructions and execute the instructions to navigate the decoy body bycontrolling the propulsion system and steering system, wherein theprocessor is further configured to read the instructions from a tangiblemedium and execute the instructions to monitor a voltage level of abattery element and if the voltage level drops below a particularthreshold, the processor causes an alarm to sound; a positioningreceiver coupled to the decoy body and configured to provide a currentlocation of the decoy body; and a ballast coupled to an underside of thedecoy body and configured to house the battery element, the ballastincludes at least two connections for connecting from the batteryelement to the propulsion system, steering system and processor.
 3. Adecoy system comprising: a decoy body; a propulsion system coupled tothe decoy body; a steering system coupled to the decoy body; a processorassociated with the decoy body and communicatively coupled to thepropulsion system and the steering system and configured to receiveinstructions and execute the instructions to navigate the decoy body bycontrolling the propulsion system and the steering system, wherein theprocessor is further configured to read the instructions from a tangiblemedium and execute the instructions to monitor a voltage level of abattery element and if a power source is connected to the charging port,to execute a charging algorithm; a positioning receiver coupled to thedecoy body and configured to provide a current location of the decoybody; and a ballast coupled to an underside of the decoy body andconfigured to house the battery element comprising a plurality ofrechargeable batteries, the ballast includes at least two connectionsfor connecting from the battery element to the propulsion system,steering system and processor, wherein the ballast comprises theplurality of rechargeable batteries arranged in a keel-like structure.4. A decoy system comprising: a decoy body; a propulsion system coupledto the decoy body; a steering system coupled to the decoy body; aprocessor associated with the decoy body and communicatively coupled tothe propulsion system and the steering system and configured to receiveinstructions and execute the instructions to navigate the decoy body bycontrolling the propulsion system and steering system, wherein theprocessor is further configured to read the instructions from a tangiblemedium and execute the instructions to monitor a voltage level of abattery element and if the voltage level drops below a particularthreshold, the processor controls the navigation of the decoy body bysending it to a particular location; a positioning receiver coupled tothe decoy body and configured to provide a current location of the decoybody; and a ballast coupled to an underside of the decoy body andconfigured to house the battery element comprising a plurality ofrechargeable batteries, the ballast includes at least two connectionsfor connecting from the battery element to the propulsion system,steering system and processor.
 5. A decoy system comprising: a decoybody; a propulsion system coupled to the decoy body; a steering systemcoupled to the decoy body; a processor associated with the decoy bodyand communicatively coupled to the propulsion system and the steeringsystem and configured to receive instructions and execute theinstructions to navigate the decoy body by controlling the propulsionsystem and steering system; a positioning receiver coupled to the decoybody and configured to provide a current location of the decoy body; anda ballast coupled to an underside of the decoy body and configured tohouse a battery element, the ballast includes at least two connectionsfor connecting from the battery element to the propulsion system,steering system and processor; a remote control; a control systemcommunicatively coupled to the processor, the control system beingconfigured to wirelessly interface with the remote control and theprocessor is configured to provide data to the control system to betransmitted to the remote control and obtain data received by thecontrol system from the remote control; and wherein the processor isfurther configured to read instructions from a tangible medium andexecute the instructions to monitor a voltage level of the batteryelement and if the voltage level drops below a particular threshold, theprocessor causes an alarm message to be sent to the remote control. 6.The decoy system of claim 5, wherein the remote control and the controlsystem are communicatively coupled with BLUETOOTH wireless technologyand the control system reports a battery status to the remote control.